Papa John is right: NFL needs better ingredients | Opinion

Updated November 4, 2017 at 7:21 AM;Posted November 4, 2017 at 7:20 AM

A Kansas City Chiefs fan holds a sign against the anthem protests during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

How many fingers am I holding up? How many players are kneeling during the national anthem? How many sponsors are complaining? How many military veterans are refusing to set foot in your stadiums? Can you name the former player accusing you of collusion? How many of your tax breaks is Congress looking to revoke? And how about that great seven-game World Series produced by Major League Baseball?

You're a looking a little woozy there, NFL. I think we should head for the locker room.

The first blindside shot came from league teammate John Schnatter, the CEO of Papa John's pizza empire, who blamed his company's lagging third-quarter earnings on the players' national anthem demonstrations and what he called "poor leadership" at the top.

"This should have been nipped in the bud a year and a half ago," Schnatter said. "Like many sponsors, we are in contact with the NFL and once the issue is resolved between the players and the owners, we are optimistic that the NFL's best years are ahead. But good or bad, leadership starts at the top, and this is an example of poor leadership."

Stock in Papa John's, which is one of the NFL's biggest TV advertisers, was down about 12 percent in trading after Schnatter's comments Wednesday (Nov. 1). He blamed his company's woes on the league's sliding TV ratings.

"You need to look at exactly how the ratings are going backwards," Schnatter said. "Last year the ratings for the NFL went backwards because of the elections. This year the ratings are going backwards because of the controversy, and so the controversy is polarizing the customer, polarizing the country."

This is the second year of ratings decline for the NFL, but other sponsors stood by the league. Executives at chicken wing chain Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. said that the company didn't expect declining NFL viewership to hurt a key sales figure. And Kohl's, the department store operator, said it is working with the NFL on a holiday ad campaign.

But even if Schnatter is exaggerating his case, his complaints don't help the league's public reputation.

The next shot came a little closer to home, when Retired Navy Cmdr. John Wells declined to accept a civic award at a New Orleans Saints game in the Superdome citing the "discourtesy" of player protests during the national anthem continued.

"Since this award is tainted with the dishonorable actions of the NFL and its players, I cannot accept it," Wells said in a letter to the team. "To do so would be hypocritical.

"I had hoped and prayed that the NFL would outlaw these disgraceful protests and wanted to give the commissioner and the owners a fair opportunity to do so," Wells said in his letter. "Their failure to act is a slap in the face to all of those who have served in uniform. Men and women have fought and died for the flag that the players are disrespecting."

The Saints issued a lengthy statement Thursday in response, saying, "We will not allow Mr. Wells' decision and subsequent media appearances to distract our players and organization from continuing to honor and support our military and veterans. We, as an organization, have decided to move on from this sad and divisive discourse and focus our attention on supporting our military and veterans."

Meanwhile, the man who started the anthem protests, former San Francisco Colin Kaepernick, is moving forward with a suit accusing the NFL owners of colluding to keep him out of the league. According to multiple reports, Kaepernick's league will depose Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair, and others. The lawyers also have them to turn over all cellphone records and emails in relation to any discussions about the former 49er.

And when Republicans unveiled their tax overhaul bill this week, it included a provision that would get rid of tax breaks for cities and states that borrow money to finance stadiums for sports teams.

You may recall that President Donald Trump raised the issue of tax benefits when he went after the NFL protests last month. "Why is the NFL getting massive tax breaks while at the same time disrespecting our Anthem, Flag and Country? Change tax law!" Trump tweeted Oct. 10.

The league is expected to fight the proposal in Congress, but doesn't seem to be in the position of strength it has held for decades.

And finally, is Major League Baseball making a run at reclaiming the crown of "America's pastime"? An exciting postseason capped by a thrilling seven-game World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros may be drawing crowds back to the sport with a raft of new stars.

The NFL, by comparison, seems boring on the field and out of step with its fans off the field. Some things need to change. How about: